Grey Friars skeleton of Richard III (Picture: University of Leicester)

A skeleton found under a car park in Leicester belongs to Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, it has been confirmed.

Lead archaeologist Richard Buckley announced at a University of Leicester press conference that tests had confirmed the remains were England’s last Plantagenet king ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

Richard III

Richard III

File photo dated 24/08/2012 of Claire Graham using ground penetration radar (GPR) at Greyfriars car park in Leicester during an archaeological search for the lost grave of Richard III, as archaeologists involved in the hunt for the remains of Richard III have released the first image of a battle-scarred skull which could be that of the 15th century ruler. A photograph of the skull was released by the University of Leicester ahead of today's announcement about the identity of the skeleton found underneath Leicester's Greyfriars car park last September.Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Richard III

Richard III

Richard III

(FILES) - A picture dated September 12, 2012 shows men dressed as medieval knights posing for pictures in Leicester in central England, at the site where a skeleton that researchers believe could be British medieval king Richard III was found. A skeleton found underneath a car park in the English city of Leicester is confirmed to be that of king Richard III, one of history's most notorious villains, scientists said on February 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO / Gavin FoggGavin Fogg/AFP/Getty Images

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(FILES) - A picture dated September 12, 2012 shows men dressed as medieval knights posing for pictures in Leicester in central England, at the site where a skeleton that researchers believe could be British medieval king Richard III was found. A skeleton found underneath a car park in the English city of Leicester is confirmed to be that of king Richard III, one of history's most notorious villains, scientists said on February 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO / Gavin FoggGavin Fogg/AFP/Getty Images

Richard III

Richard III

University of Leicester lead archaeologist Richard Buckley, speaking at the University of Leicester Council Chamber building, as tests have established that a skeleton found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester is that of King Richard III.Rui Vieira/PA Wire

damage to a skull, believed to be that of Richard III

damage to a skull, believed to be that of Richard III

Project Osteologist Jo Appleby points out damage to a skull, believed to be that of Richard III, during a news conference in Leicester, central England February 4, 2013. British researchers said on Monday that a skeleton with a cleaved skull and a curved spine entombed under a car park was that of Richard III, solving a 500-year-old mystery about the final resting place of the last English king to die in battle. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Richard III

Richard III

Jo Appleby, a lecturer in Human Bioarchaeology, at University of Leicester, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the exhumation of the remains, during a dig at Leicester's Greyfriars car park, speaking at the university, as tests have established that a skeleton found under the car park, is that of King Richard III. Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Richard III

Richard III

Jo Appleby, a lecturer in Human Bioarchaeology, at University of Leicester, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the exhumation of the remains, during a dig at Leicester's Greyfriars car park, speaking at the university, as tests have established that a skeleton found under the car park, is that of King Richard III. Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Richard III

Richard III

Project Osteologist Jo Appleby speaks during a news conference in Leicester, central England February 4, 2013. British researchers said on Monday that a skeleton with a cleaved skull and a curved spine entombed under a car park was that of Richard III, solving a 500-year-old mystery about the final resting place of the last English king to die in battle. REUTERS/Darren Staples (BRITAIN - Tags: EDUCATION SOCIETY)

Richard III

Richard III

A portrait of King Richard III is seen during a news conference in Leicester, central England February 4, 2013. British researchers said on Monday that a skeleton with a cleaved skull and a curved spine entombed under a car park was that of Richard III, solving a 500-year-old mystery about the final resting place of the last English king to die in battle. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Richard III

Richard III

Jo Appleby, a lecturer in Human Bioarchaeology, at University of Leicester, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the exhumation of the remains during a dig at Leicester's Greyfriars car park, points to an image of a skull whilst speaking at the university, as tests have established that a skeleton found under the car park, is that of King Richard III. Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Richard III

Richard III

University of Leicester lead archaeologist Richard Buckley, speaking at the University of Leicester Council Chamber building, as tests have established that a skeleton found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester is that of King Richard III.Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Richard III

Richard III

(FILES) - A picture dated October 8, 2012 shows Canadian-born furniture-maker Michael Ibsen, a direct descendant of the eldest sister of medieval British King Richard III, posing in his furniture workshop in London. A skeleton found under a car park in the English city of Leicester is that of king Richard III, widely depicted as one of history's most notorious villains, scientists confirmed on February 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO/JUSTIN TALLISJUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

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Dr Jo Appleby, a lecturer in bioarchaeology at Leicester University, addresses a press conference in front of an image of the skeleton of Britain's King Richard III, at the university in central England, on February 4, 2013. A skeleton found under a car park in the English city of Leicester is that of king Richard III, widely regarded as one of history's most notorious villains, scientists confirmed Monday. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW COWIEANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images

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Speaking at University of Leicester, Jo Appleby (front) a lecturer in Human Bioarchaeology, at the university's, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, who led the exhumation of the remains during a dig at Leicester's Greyfriars car park, is hugged by Professor Lin Foxhall, as tests have established that a skeleton found under the car park, is that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

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(FILES) A handout picture released by the University of Leicester on September 13, 2012 and taken on August 24, 2012 shows Canadian-born Michael Ibsen, a direct descendant of Richard III's eldest sister, Anne of York, using an oral swab to give a DNA sample to researchers from Leicester University at the site of an archaeological dig aiming to find Richard's remains in Leicester. A skeleton found under a car park in the English city of Leicester is that of king Richard III, widely depicted as one of history's most notorious villains, scientists confirmed on February 4, 2013. RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER / COLIN BROOKS " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTSCOLIN BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

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Archaeologist Mathew Morris stands in the trench where he found skeleton remains during an archaeological dig to find the remains of King Richard III in Leicester, central England in this file photograph dated September 12, 2012. Archaeologists will reveal next week whether a skeleton with a cleaved skull and a curved spine entombed under a municipal car park is that of Richard III, the last English king to die in battle, more than five centuries ago. Photograph taken September 12, 2012. REUTERS/Darren Staples/files (BRITAIN - Tags: SOCIETY ROYALS)

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A painting of Britain's King Richard III by an unknown artist is displayed in the National Portrait Gallery in central London on January 25, 2013. A skeleton found underneath a car park in the English city of Leicester is confirmed to be that of king Richard III, one of history's most notorious villains, scientists said on February 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO/Leon Neal == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY MENTION OF THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION ==LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

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An undated handout picture released on February 4, 2013 from the University of Leicester shows the skeleton of king Richard III found at the Grey Friars Church excavation site in Leicester. Researchers from the University of Leicester said DNA from the 500-year-old skeleton, which has battle wounds and a curved spine, matched a 17th generation descendant of the king's sister, Canadian-born carpenter Michael Ibsen. AFP PHOTO/HO/UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==-/AFP/Getty Images

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An undated handout picture released on February 4, 2013 from the University of Leicester shows the skeleton of king Richard III found at the Grey Friars Church excavation site in Leicester. Researchers from the University of Leicester said DNA from the 500-year-old skeleton, which has battle wounds and a curved spine, matched a 17th generation descendant of the king's sister, Canadian-born carpenter Michael Ibsen. AFP PHOTO/HO/UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==-/AFP/Getty Images

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An undated handout picture released on February 4, 2013 from the University of Leicester shows the skeleton of king Richard III found at the Grey Friars Church excavation site in Leicester. Researchers from the University of Leicester said DNA from the 500-year-old skeleton, which has battle wounds and a curved spine, matched a 17th generation descendant of the king's sister, Canadian-born carpenter Michael Ibsen. AFP PHOTO/HO/UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==-/AFP/Getty Images

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Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of a skull and bones, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that the remains found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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A poster (right) next to a screen image at press conference at the University of Leicester, where lead archaeologist Richard Buckley, spoke to confirm that tests have established that a skeleton found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester is that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Viewers couldn’t get enough of the subjects’ excitement at the discovery (Picture: PA)

Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that the skeleton found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester is that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of bones, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that bones found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of a jaw bone, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that bones found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

AY_102940703.jpg

Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of a skull, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that the skull found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester is that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of a skull, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that the skull and bones found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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(Picture: PA)

Undated handout photo issued by University of Leicester, of a skull and bones, as scientists at the University of Leicester, have confirmed that the remains found under Greyfriars car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday February 4, 2013. See PA story HISTORY Dig Skull. Photo credit should read: University of Leicester/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

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An undated handout picture released on February 4, 2013 from the University of Leicester shows the two vertebrae of king Richard III, showing some abnormal features relating to the scoliosis. A skeleton found under a car park in the English city of Leicester is that of king Richard III, widely depicted as one of history's most notorious villains, scientists confirmed on February 4, 2013. AFP PHOTO/HO/UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER == RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==HANDOUT/AFP/Getty Images

The university’s deputy registrar Richard Taylor said the discovery was ‘truly astonishing’.

Researchers had previously said there was strong circumstantial evidence that a skeleton exhumed behind social services offices in Leicester last year was the king.

The remains, which were found 680m (2,231ft) below ground level, were found in an area that used to be Grey Friars church, where Richard III was recorded to have been buried after the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, which brought an end to the Wars of the Roses.

The adult male skeleton, which was missing its feet, had a metal arrow in its back and the skull showed signs of severe trauma.

University of Leicester lead archaeologist Richard Buckley announces the university’s academic conclusion, which was greeted by applause (Picture: PA)

It also had a curved spine, which is consistent with reports of Richard III’s appearance.

DNA tests on Michael Ibsen, a descendant of the king’s family on his mother’s side, established a link to the skeleton, while radiocarbon and genealogical tests were also conducted.

‘It is the academic conclusion of the University of Leicester that the individual exhumed at Grey Friars in August 2012 is indeed King Richard III, the last Plantagenet King of England,’ Dr Buckley told journalists.

‘It has been an honour and privilege for all of us to be at the centre of an academic project that has had such phenomenal global interest and mass public appeal. Rarely have the conclusions of academic research been so eagerly awaited.’

Members of the team hug after the announcement (Picture: PA)

Richard III was famously dramatised by William Shakespeare, calling out ‘a horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse’ at his death.

A documentary on the discovery will be shown on Channel 4 at 9pm today.

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